


Waltz of The Damned

by lu_woo



Series: Tempus Finis [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:54:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21684841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lu_woo/pseuds/lu_woo
Summary: Time begins in the East with a boy named Jaehyun and his brother Taeil. A month after Jaehyun begins to go on missions, the leader of the compass, Kun, comes to inform them that he needs a guardian for his son.Time begins seven years ago when Jaehyun begins to find himself.
Series: Tempus Finis [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1403146
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> { HELLO! THIS IS IT!! this is the very first prequel to Dearly Beloved!!!!}  
> { for those of you that are new, I highly, **highly** , recommend reading [Dearly Beloved](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16984071/chapters/39921564) before you read this! it's not _completely_ necessary because it's a prequel but the experience will just be a thousand times better if you read it first! } 
> 
> {that being said, the first chapter is slightly uneventful but i hope it's still enjoyable!<3}

**117 806AW**   
  
  


There’s the sound of an arrow pushing through the air, screaming quietly before it pushes into the plush target, the circle practically falling backwards from the force. Jaehyun’s nose scrunches, arms lowering slowly. Another arrow zooms through the air, puncturing the target to his right gently. The arrow is off center, far enough away from the middle to make Jaehyun scoff.

“Must you make everything a competition, Jaehyun.” The boy says, taking slow steps towards the target that’s several feet away. “No need to scoff. We’re simply practicing.” 

With narrowed eyes, Jaehyun follows after the other, hand tugging out his arrow slowly. He has to wiggle it out, move it side to side and hold onto the plush target to get it to come out. Where as the other, pulls it out easily with two fingers. “Even if we’re just practicing, we should still give it our all. We should not use it as an excuse to slack off.” 

The other doesn’t respond. The shorter boy returns to his spot only to lift his bow up again, arm moving quickly and arrow even quicker. Jaehyun watches it, follows it all the way until it hits the target, smacking hard into the center, right in the middle of the small black dot that’s no bigger than the head of the arrow itself. 

With a grin, the other looks over at him, brown bangs fluttering against his forehead. “It is still not a competition.” The other licks at his lips, lowering his bow, bottom pushing against the grass beneath them. “We’re brothers, not enemies.” 

Jaehyun lets out a soft laugh, tilting his head and letting his lips curl into a grin, dimples pushing in his cheeks. Just as Jaehyun parts his lips to speak, he hears the sound of footsteps shuffling through the grass and the wind picks up enough to make his hair flutter against his forehead. He looks over to see someone walking towards them, smile on his lips and eyes bright. 

“Dinner is ready,” the other says. “Do not get your hopes up though, Mark and Haechan insisted on helping cook. I told them to come to both of you to get dinner started but when I returned, they had overtaken the kitchen and had food already in the oven.” 

“Great,” Jaehyun groans out. “That means I will be going to bed hungry tonight.” 

There’s a hand on his shoulder, sliding down his back gently. “I will cook us something after they go to bed if it is truly that bad.” 

With a smile, Jaehun nods. “Thank you, Taeil. I can always rely on _your_ cooking.” 

“Hey, what about mine?” The boy in front of them says, arms crossing over his chest. “Do not tell me I am on the same level as Mark and Haechan!” 

Jaehyun leans his head back in a laugh, one hand coming to cover at his mouth slightly. “Well..” he lets his voice trail off, disappearing into the wind as it blows. 

The other one surges forward, arm wrapping around Jaehyun’s head, tucking it under his arm. “Jaehyun you brat!” His hand ruffles at his hair, making Jaehyun squirm in his hold, laughter spilling out of his mouth. 

“Yuta be careful!” Taeil whines. “Jaehyun has his first mission tomorrow and he needs to be in his best condition.” 

“No!” Jaehyun gasps out, voice broken with even louder laughter. “Let him kill me! I will not have to eat Haechan and Mark’s food if my life ends right now.” 

With a click of his tongue, Taeil’s hands reach out to push against Jaehyun’s sides, fingers tickling him quickly. Jaehyun gasps out, squirming so much that he falls out of both Yuta and Taeil’s grasp, falling backwards onto his butt, bow landing next to him. Jaehyun lets himself lean back against the grass, inhaling long and slow breaths to try and stop laughing. Eyes look up at the sky, trying to blink away the laughter induced tears that have formed. 

As Jaehyun’s vision focuses, Yuta’s face pops into his view. A hand extends out and Jaehyun reaches up to grab it, letting himself be pulled all the way up to his feet. “Sometimes I forget that you are nearly as young as them,” Yuta says with a smile. 

“I agree,” Taeil adds, hands brushing off Jaehyun’s back. “Hard to believe that you are already going on your first mission tomorrow.” 

“Our Jaehyun, growing up so quickly.” Yuta’s hand comes up, swiping at Jaehyun’s bangs to put them back into place. “It feels as if it was only yesterday that we were sneaking around the castle in our pajamas with our make believe powers,” Yuta lets out a sigh, hand pressing against his chest. “How silly of us to think that we would have those powers that we made up. What was it, mind control and fire? We were so positive that we would have those as powers even though it was rather set in stone what our _actual_ powers would be.” 

Laughter fills the space between them for several seconds before Taeil clears his throat, hooking his bow on his back. “We should go inside before the younger ones throw a fit about us missing dinner.” 

Both Yuta and Jaehyun hum in agreement. The two older ones begin walking first while Jaehyun quickly grabs his bow off of the grass, hooking it over his shoulder and jogging to catch up with the others.

☘

Jaehyun’s eyes stare up at the ceiling. They follow the movement of painted people, eyes going from one person to the other. There’s children, cherubs to be exact, holding bows and sporting small white wings. Women that are laid out along the surface, long, curly hair flowing, covering parts of their bodies. Parts of the paint has faded away, their bodies and faces cracking, paint threatening to fall from the ceiling at the slightest touch. Even the gold accents along the walls have become a victim to time, no one willing to restore them.

Slowly, Jaehyun turns on his side, fingers curling up against the golden silk sheets, coldness from them making a shiver run up his spine. For the first time in several months, perhaps years even, Jaehyun doesn’t want to leave his bed. On any other day, he’s up and ready, downstairs waiting for breakfast promptly at eight. He always beats the others, finishing nearly half of his food before they even wander into the dining hall. 

Today is different. Today is Jaehyun’s first mission, first real mission. He’ll be going out somewhere, possibly outside of his own kingdom to help whoever he is with. The absolute worst part is that Jaehyun hasn’t been told _anything_ about this mission. There was simply a letter taped to his door three days ago, informing him to be downstairs promptly at seven, ready to wander out to test his powers. That’s essentially what this mission is for, to test how far his powers have developed. It’s to see if he’s making the progress that the Royal Board thinks he should be. 

Coming from a family of skilled archers, Jaehyun is expected to already be advanced. Everyone from his lineage has become a notable archer, excelling in a short amount of time. Even Taeil, he’s more than skilled for his age and Jaehyun knows that he has to be able to match that. But Jaehyun wants to exceed that. He wants to be better. Taeil is too kind, too caring and forgiving. Jaehyun needs to be _better_ , needs to be able to put feelings aside and stand strong for not only their family but their kingdom as well. And Jaehyun hates to think such things about his own brother but he’s certain that if war were to come, Taeil would be unable to put up a proper fight, thoughts getting in the way too much. So Jaehyun is determined to overcome that, not become soft like his brother. 

It’s one of the main reasons why Jaehyun is still tucked in bed, knowing that time is ticking away, getting closer and closer to seven. Jaehyun is worried, _scared_ to get out of bed. He has these big hopes and expectations of himself, a clear vision of what he wants to be yet he hasn’t even gone on his first mission yet. Jaehyun has no idea what he’s going to be doing today and he’s terrified that it’s going to be something he’s not ready for and that he’ll be unable to go through with the mission. Failure is one of Jaehyun’s biggest fears. Scared he’ll fail not only the mission but the way he envisions himself as an archer. That he won’t live up to _his_ standards. 

Jaehyun sees the candle against the wall flicker, lighting up the clock on the wall. With a quiet sigh, Jaehyun rolls onto his back, eyes blinking up at the ceiling again. He stares at the small cherubs, eyes narrowing at their wings and bows, chubby cheeks and bright smiles on their faces. Jaehyun closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before he pushes the blanket off him, sitting up and sliding out of bed in one fluid motion. 

With careful hands, Jaehyun tugs out one of his favorite shirts from his closet. It’s a golden shirt, silk just as cool as his sheets as he slips it over his shoulders. Black pants get pulled on shortly after and Jaehyun rolls up the bottoms, revealing enough of his ankles so that he’ll be able to tie the laces of his sandals up his leg how he likes. The laces get wrapped around his ankles, halfway up his calves before he ties the laces into a neat bow. His belt is pushed through the loops on his hips and Jaehyun makes sure it’s tight enough, slightly too tight around him. 

Dark brown hair gets pushed back and forth, Jaehyun’s fingers running through it several times. Fingers search through the small container tucked against the mirror on his vanity until they pick out three bobby pins. They get placed in his hair, tucking one side back, criss crossing over each other, the gold color sparkling in the shimmer of the candle light. Jaehyun looks at himself in the mirror, fingers fluffing up his bangs slightly and moving them side to side until he thinks they’re right. He makes sure that all his buttons are done properly on his shirt, tucking it into his pants. 

Jaehyun’s feet tap against the floor as he walks to the end of his bed, hands lifting up the lid to the large chest that’s flush against his bed. He grabs a handful of arrows, pushing them gently into the container on his hip. He wraps his hand around one, holding it tightly against his chest. This is the first time his arrows will possibly be used for more than simply target practice. It’s the last time that they’ll be pure, untouched by blood and fighting. The arrows depend on Jaehyun to do things correctly. They can only do their job if Jaehyun does his. Today will be the first test of their compatibility. 

Jaehyun’s eyes flicker over towards the clock, the white behind the hands becoming more vibrate the more time continues on, the more sunlight that pours into his room past the curtains. He has exactly five minutes to get downstairs to the front doors of the castle. With shaky hands and teeth sinking into his bottom lip, Jaehyun grabs his bow, hooking it over his shoulder and does just that.

☘

Instead of an adult waiting for him by the doors, there’s a boy that looks no older than Jaehyun. He’s standing quietly, hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet. He’s got a velvet green shirt on, one adorned with gold accents, swirls and intricate patterns covering his arms and chest. There’s a thick leather bag, small but seemingly stuffed with one or more things, that rests around his waist, hanging off his hip. He’s got soft brown hair that’s long enough for his bangs to be pushed to the sides in an awkward middle parting. The boy turns slightly and there’s a glimmer of light coming from the golden crest on the left side of his chest.

“Oh!” The boy gasps out as he makes eye contact with Jaehyun. “Hi there!” Jaehyun tilts his head, blinking at how excited the other is. He’s quickly pulling his hands out of his pockets, clasping them together in front of his waist as he bends forward in a deep bow. The boy leans back up, hands quickly fixing his bangs. “You must be Jaehyun, right?” Instead of letting Jaehyun answer, the other one continues speaking. “My name is Johnny! I’m going to be your partner today in the mission.” The boy ends his sentence with a wink before his lips curl into a bright smile. 

Jaehyun can’t help but let his own lips curl into a smile at how eager the other is. He lets out a small laugh, hand covering his mouth, cheeks slightly pink at the wink. “Nice to meet you, Johnny. I’m Jaehyun,” he pauses, “You already knew that though.” 

“We should get going,” Johnny says, hand reaching down to pat at the bag that’s snug against his side. “They told me that this is time sensitive. Are you ready?” 

Johnny waits for Jaehyun to nod before he flashes him yet another bright smile. Johnny’s hands are the ones to push open the large doors, soft creaking filling the silence between them before the sound of birds chirping replaces it. The sunlight spills inside the castle, flooding not only the floor and walls but Jaehyun as well. The sun is still rising, the sky a multitude of colors ranging from pastels to bright yellow and oranges. 

Even though the sun is bright and strong, the air is cold and bitter. Jaehyun feels his body tense up at the temperature as he follows Johnny out of the doors. Not only is it the middle of winter but it’s only seven when the sun is young, making it even colder. There’s a part of Jaehyun that wonders if he should ask Johnny if he can change his shirt, change into something slightly warmer, perhaps put on his velvet vest even. But by the time Jaehyun can think of the words, Johnny is already halfway through the front gardens, body moving with purpose. Jaehyun presses his lips together, swallowing his question and letting his feet pick up pace to catch up with Johnny. 

Johnny is slightly taller than Jaehyun. It’s only by a few centimeters but it’s enough for Jaehyun to notice, enough for him to have to look up at him. “What exactly is our mission, if I may ask? I was not told anything about it.” 

“Oh,” Johnny says, tilting his head to look down at Jaehyun. “We are not going far, just down by the border to deliver a letter.” 

“A letter?” Jaehyun says quietly, “That is all?” Jaehyun feels his face contort into displeasure at the realization. 

“Mhm,” Johnny says with a smile, “I suppose it isn’t just a letter.” Johnny tilts his head enough for Jaehyun to lock eyes with him. “The man that lives in the house we are going to has done some rather terrible things lately.” Johnny hums, pursing his lips out slowly, fingers coming up to tap against them. “Unfortunately he is going to be banished to the South and the letter is going to be telling him that.” 

The wind blows particularly hard, making even the bare branches of trees knock together. Jaehyun wraps his arms around himself, jaw clenching as he braces the strong, cold wind. “Not to be rude,” Jaehyun says, teeth chattering slightly, “but why I am accompanying you to deliver a letter?” 

Johnny doesn’t answer as they walk down the stairs of the castle garden. They’re met with two guards, standing tall in their winter jackets, gold accents and badges shimmering. Both Jaehyun and Johnny bend forward in bows, getting an even deeper bow in return as they walk by them. It’s when Jaehyun’s feet begin to tap along the pathway leading down to the city below, does Johnny finally answer. 

“You were probably expecting a big mission right? One with lots of fighting and danger.” 

Jaehyun purses his lips out into a small pout because Johnny is right, that’s exactly what he was expecting. Perhaps not too intense of a mission but definitely one that would at least put his skills to the test. That’s what these missions were for, to see if Jaehyun is deemed worthy of the board. But delivering a letter isn’t what Jaehyun thought his first mission would be at all. It’s something that even the younger ones could do, ones without powers. This mission wasn’t a test of _anything_ for Jaehyun. 

“Is that not what missions are meant for? To show our skills? I suppose I shouldn’t have assumed but-” Jaehyun lets his voice trail off into the cold air, arms tightening around himself. 

“Well don’t get too down on yourself!” Johnny says happily, hand reaching over to pat at Jaehyun’s shoulder. “This is only your first mission. I am more than positive that your other missions will be more of what you expected.”

Jaehyun realizes that Johnny walks with a bounce in his step. It’s the smallest little pop of his body with every step, something that might be happening just from the cold, the other attempting to warm himself up by moving more. Jaehyun feels slightly bad, just slightly, for throwing a sort of small tantrum due to the mission details. Though the more he realizes that Johnny is seemingly unaffected by the way Jaehyun’s lips have been pushed down into a frown and he’s walking slowly behind Johnny, the more his guilt slips away. 

Even though the mission is simple, there’s still nerves running through Jaehyun’s body. It’s the only thing keeping him warm enough not to shiver due to the cold. Even though it’s not the mission he expected, it’s still a mission and he still has to do well, as mundane as it may be. Much like how he thought he would be using his bow, he thought he was going to be with one of the adults from his kingdom, not Johnny. 

They haven’t spoken much, only quiet hums and Johnny occasionally looks back and asks if Jaehyun is okay. He’ll tell Jaehyun to follow him left or right if the path splits but that’s the extent of their conversations since they left the castle grounds. Jaehyun doesn’t need to ask questions to figure out who Johnny is though. From his uniform, he’s a messenger. Johnny’s uniform is different than the other messenger that he’s seen though. The messenger that comes from the North has a golden and white velvet shirt, not a green one like Johnny’s. There’s also a shiny badge on his chest, one that Jaehyun didn’t get to look at properly but it’s certainly not his kingdom’s crest, meaning that Johnny comes from another kingdom, something that Jaehyun had already figured out since Johnny wasn’t familiar. 

“I did not think that you would be this quiet, Jaehyun,” Johnny says softly. “Though I suppose this is our first time meeting and it isn’t like we’re good friends.” Johnny tilts his head, eyes meeting with Jaehyun and Jaehyun watches the way his eyes light up and his lips pull up into a smile. “Is there anything you would like to know about me? We still have a bit of a walk before we even get into the city so you can feel free to ask me anything.” 

Jaehyun lets his arms slide from being wrapped around himself, settling at his sides as he sucks in a breath. “Okay,” he says quietly, fingers playing with the leather of his arrow case. “What kingdom are you from?” 

“The West!” Johnny walks slightly faster, enough to be in front of Jaehyun before he turns around and begins walking backwards, head tilted and smile bright on his face. “Have you ever been?” 

Jaehyun shakes his head and within seconds, Johnny begins to go on a mile long talk about his home kingdom. He starts with the basics, describing how everything looks. He talks about the vast collection of sculptures that line nearly every inch of the castle. How everything is white and marble and how hard Johnny sees the cleaners work on making sure things stay pristine through the weather changes. 

Johnny talks about the large field they have, the vineyard, that they use to make wine to sell to other kingdoms and the towns. “There’s my friend Ten,” Johnny says quickly, hand landing on Jaehyun’s arm as they match steps again, Johnny having returned by Jaehyun’s side. “He’s a genius when it comes to wine. He’s not even old enough to technically drink it, not that it truly matters you know, but he works magic on those grapes.” Johnny sighs out happily. “If I did not know any better I would say that wine would be his power.” 

“Is Ten not fourteen yet?” Jaehyun asks, nose scrunching up as the wind begins to blow, making his bangs flutter against his forehead and his whole body go rigid from the cold. 

“He is,” Johnny nods, arms crossing over his chest. “He is fifteen but he does not have any powers.” As if reading his mind, Johnny answers the unspoken question that’s still lingering on Jaehyun’s tongue. “Ten is not technically royalty. He has no royal blood or family.” Johnny pauses, licking at his lips slowly before continuing. “I do not remember exactly what happened but they always told me Ten was found as a baby by one of the members of the royal court. They took him in and he has been with us ever since then.” 

Jaehyun scoffs softly, own arms crossing over his chest, tightening around himself as the wind begins to blow more frequently. “It is rather taboo to have non royalty live in the castles, is it not?” 

Johnny doesn’t answer, leaving silence between them, the only thing being heard is the sound of their footsteps and the wind howling. Jaehyun watches the way the bare tree branches sway from the force of the wind, some of them swinging so hard that he swears they’re going to snap. He takes a moment to look around, his eyes have been focused on the path under his feet as they’ve walked, mind too busy trying to process everything that Johnny has been saying for at least the last half an hour. 

There isn’t many times that Jaehyun leaves the castle. When he was younger, he did more than he does now. He would beg the nanny that watched over them while his parents tended to important matters to take him to the town below the castle. The town that had his favorite candy shop and the custom teddy bear boutique as well. Though he doesn’t remember much of what the world outside the castle looked like. He knows there’s three towns in their kingdom. There’s one directly under the castle, homes and shops just outside the castle walls. Another one that lies in the middle, one that has more of the large buildings like the hospital and textile offices. Then there’s the final town, the one next to the border of the kingdom. It’s a town where all the less fortunate people live. It’s full of run down cabins and homes that don’t have electricity. Homes that are made for two but have nearly a dozen people shoved inside. Homes where walls have holes in them and they have doors that are barely holding on. Since it’s close to the border, it’s more susceptible to crimes, attracts more people that are traveling along the border, people that _shouldn’t_ be traveling. 

There’s barely anything around them as they walk now. There’s trees and grass that is on the verge of death but besides that, it’s simply Johnny and Jaehyun walking along a makeshift path. Jaehyun doesn’t know how long they’ve been traveling, only that the sun is well past the horizon now. The temperature might have risen slightly, either that or Jaehyun’s body has simply adjusted to the cold, body only shivering whenever the wind blows. 

“We are almost there,” Johnny finally says to break the silence. “Once we see the crossroad sign, it is only to the right.” 

It doesn’t take long, like Johnny had said. Once they reach the sign at the end of their path, there’s a small cabin that’s tucked between a pair of trees. It looks as if the cabin only has one main room, with how small it is. The panels on the sides are falling off or have fallen off, leaving dark, mold filled bricks exposed. There’s a door but one that looks like it’s tied to the side of the doorframe, barely hanging on in the wind. 

The sight makes Jaehyun’s heart sink slightly. It makes his shoulders relax and the corner of his lips curl down into a frown, realizing that people in his kingdom live like this. How he can have so much in the castle, maids and cooks that wait on him hand and foot, providing anything he could ever want. He’s got closets full of clothing, a bed with sheets made of the finest silk they can find. Jaehyun has everything he needs and yet there’s people in the kingdom that live like _this_. 

He’s known about this town, the one where the poorest of the poor live, known about it all his life but he never thought it actually existed. As naive as it sounds, he never imagined that people actually live in these conditions. Somewhere in his mind he always thought it was some nasty tale that they told him in order for him not to wander down as a child. Yet right now, standing in front of the small home, Jaehyun feels like the air has been taken out of his lungs. 

“It is shocking,” Johnny says quietly, hands on his hips as they stand in front of the broken home. “The first time I saw towns along the border, it truly broke my heart.” 

“Why,” Jaehyun starts, mind racing to pick out what words he wants to say in the pool of them that has started overflowing. “Why do we let them live like this? All of us in the castles, all the royals, we have money, we have-” Jaehyun runs his fingers through his hair slowly, fingers curling against his side when he drops his arm. “We have _everything_ , Johnny.” 

Jaehyun watches as Johnny lifts his arm to look at the watch on his wrist. “It is rather surprising to hear that coming from you. Considering what you said about Ten earlier.” Johnny says with a soft laugh, arm lowering to bump against his bag until his fingers slip inside. “Let’s get this letter delivered.” Johnny says before he begins walking towards the house. “Oh,” Johnny pauses, head looking back to look at Jaehyun. “You might want to have your bow ready. This man has killed ten people in the last three days. He will probably be rather hostile.” 

Jaehyun freezes in his spot, body tensing up and eyes wide at the words. This whole time he simply thought he was helping deliver a letter, which he is, but Johnny had failed to mention that the man they were delivering the letter to was a _murderer_. Johnny’s hand waving at him silently is what breaks Jaehyun out of his frozen state, feet quickly walking to catch up with the older boy. 

As Johnny knocks on the door, Jaehyun’s hands reach behind him, shakily tugging the bow off of his back. This is technically what he wanted, to be on a mission that made him use his skills, that allowed him to show off what he can do. But now that it’s actually happening, now that he has his bow in his hand, fingers grabbing an arrow to get it ready, Jaehyun doesn’t know if he’s actually ready for this. Right now, this isn’t practice. This isn’t in the back courtyard of the castle with Taeil, shooting at fake targets. This is an actual target, a man that has murdered people, that has taken the lives of innocent people. 

The door to the home opens slowly and Johnny quickly looks back at Jaehyun, hand reaching to lower his bow. “Not yet, we do not want to startle him. It could make the situation more dangerous if you look as though you’re ready to strike the moment he opens the door.” Jaehyun only nods before the man comes into view and Jaehyun lowers his arms, slowly slipping the arrow back into the container on his hip. 

The man is cautious, hands still on the rugged edges of the makeshift door. He doesn’t look much older than Johnny and Jaehyun themselves, possibly in his early twenties at the latest. He has dusty blond hair and hazel colored eyes that light up in the sun. Without a single word, Johnny pulls the letter out of his bag, both hands on it as he extends his arms out to the person in front of him. 

“My father will be here tomorrow,” Johnny says firmly. “If you attempt to run, I am sure you are aware of what will happen.” 

Silence fills the air. Even the wind has stopped blowing, something that hasn’t happened the entire time they’ve walked to this house. Not a single noise fills the air around them and it makes Jaehyun’s heart beat even faster against his chest. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the boy says quickly, fingers tightening around the door. “Who are you?” The boy’s words are slurred and sloppy, Jaehyun barely even able to understand him. 

“I am a messenger,” Johnny nods, hands wiggling the letter gently. “This is a letter informing you of your banishment to the South tomorrow for the murders you have done.” 

Once again the air becomes quiet but there’s a shift in the boy in front of them. His head tilts down to look at the letter in Johnny’s hands. Slowly, he takes the letter out of Johnny’s hands, thumbs beginning to rip open the envelope. Jaehyun’s eyes watch as the wax seal gets torn off, the bright gold circle with a large letter ‘K’ stamped in the center, falls to the floor. 

“This is a lie!” The boy yells, tearing the paper in half, letting it fall out of his hands. “I didn’t do anything! You stupid royals always take away from me!” Within seconds, the boy’s hands reach out, wrapping around Johnny’s neck, tugging him down to his level. “You’re just a stupid messenger, you can’t do anything! I could kill you right now and you wouldn’t even put up a fight.” 

Jaehyun knows he has to do something. Johnny is looking back at him, hand reaching out, waving frantically for him to help. Jaehyun’s hands are on his bow, shaking so much that it makes his bow hit against his side, rattling loudly. Jaehyun can do this, he can. He knows he has amazing aim and hitting the boy wouldn’t be a problem but his hands just won’t _move_. No matter how much he tells himself that he has to help Johnny, his arms don’t listen to him. 

Johnny’s hands pull away the boy’s enough for him to breathe, using his single exhale to call out for Jaehyun. “Jaehyun,” he says with a gasp, “ _Shoot_ him!” 

“O-Okay,” is what Jaehyun says quietly, voice disappearing into the wind. 

His eyes squeeze shut as he lifts up his bow, hand grabbing an arrow and sliding it in place. There’s a loud thump and he hears Johnny gasp out his name again before Jaehyun opens his eyes. Johnny is pressed against the door, eyes shut and hands wrapped around the boy’s arms, desperately trying to pull him off. With a thick swallow, Jaehyun aims his arrow, arm extending back and letting it hang in the air once the arrow is gone. 

The boy’s hands slide off of Johnny’s neck, reaching up to wrap around the arrow in his own neck, eyes wide as can be. He tries to pull it out, body lurching forward with bloody coughs, splattering onto Johnny’s shirt. It only takes a few seconds before the boy is falling to the ground, blood running down his neck and onto the wooden floor of his home. Jaehyun watches the boy, the way his body twitches and desperately attempt to breathe. Jaehyun watches the boy take his last breath before his body stills, hazel eyes staring up towards Johnny. 

Johnny is still leaning against the door, trying to catch his own breath. “Take your arrow out,” Johnny breathes out quietly. “You never want to leave them behind.” 

Quietly, Jaehyun walks up to the lifeless boy. He watches the way the blood continues to flow out of his neck, pooling around him on the floor. Jaehyun’s fingers wrap around his arrow, giving it a few tugs before it comes out, making a terrible sound as it does, a sound that has Jaehyun’s stomach churning. 

“Let us head back,” Johnny says, pushing off of the door. “We need to arrive home before the sun sets.” 

And they walk back in silence. Jaehyun trailing behind Johnny, quietly noticing the way the bounce in his step has disappeared.

☘

“The court will inform you of your grade for the mission within the next day or two,” Johnny says as they walk towards the gate of the castle. “A grade of C or lower will not allow you to go on any other missions until you are put through a trial made by the court.” Johnny nods to himself, head tilting and lips curling into a gentle smile, the first one Jaehyun has seen since they left the border. “It was a pleasure.”

Johnny leaves with a bow and a hand wave, the smile on his lips widening only slightly. Jaehyun bites at his lip, sucking in a breath before he follows after the boy, hand reaching out and grabbing at his sleeve. Johnny stills, turning his head to look at Jaehyun, eyes blinking with confusion. 

“I want to apologize,” Jaehyun says quietly, head tilting down slightly. “I should have-” a pause and a thick swallow, “I should not have hesitated as much as I did. It could have cost you your life.” Jaehyun lets his hand slide off of Johnny’s arm, fingers curling into his own palm slowly.

Johnny’s hand lands on his shoulder, making Jaehyun look up, meeting the other’s eyes. “It is truly okay,” Johnny says with a smile, head tilting and honey eyes curling into crescents. “My first mission did not go well either.” The other rubs the back of his neck, letting out a soft laugh. “Though I simply dropped the letter into the river as we were passing not almost get killed.” 

“Do you think I will fail?” Jaehyun’s lips purse out into a pout, shoulders slumping and a small sigh escaping. 

“You?” Johnny shakes his head quickly. “There is no way they would fail you. Your family is highly regarded and they’d be absolutely mad to fail you.” 

They both break out in laughter, Johnny’s hand finally leaving Jaehyun’s shoulder. “Thank you, Johnny, and again,” Jaehyun breathes out, brows furrowing, “I really am sorry for nearly letting you get choked.” 

“I accept your apology,” Johnny says with a nod, body leaning forward in a bow. “Do not let it happen next time though,” he ends with a wink. 

“Do you think we might have another mission together again?” Just as Johnny parts his lips to answer, he hears the screaming of his name from behind him. Jaehyun turns around to see two smaller boys running down the hill to the gates of the castle. 

“Jaehyun! Jaehyun!” The one with the blond hair bounces when they reach Jaehyun, eyes as wide as can be. “You are back!” 

Jaehyun nods, hand ruffling up the boy’s hair. “I am.” 

“Is this who you went on the mission with?” The other boy asks, lips parted as he points to Johnny. 

“Yeah,” Jaehyun says with a smile. “This is Johnny. He is from the West. Johnny is a messenger.” 

“Woah,” both boys say in unison, eyes bright with wonder. 

“I should go” Johnny says, eyes flickering down towards his watch, body turning towards the road behind him. “The carriage will arrive soon and they get rather fussy if I make them wait.” Johnny’s lips curl into a smile as he meets Jaehyun’s eyes again. “Even if we do not go on another mission together, I hope we can meet again.” 

“I hope so too!” Jaehyun says with an equally bright smile, hand waving at Johnny as he begins to walk down the path. 

“Jaehyun you _must_ tell us _everything_!” The blond haired boy says, hand tugging on Jaehyun’s arm. “Where did you go? Who did you see? What did you do?” 

“Haechan,” the other boy says quickly. “Please be patient.” 

“Well then we will discuss over afternoon tea!” Haechan exclaims, finger wiggling in the air. “Yuta started getting the tea together right before we came down so it should be ready by now. Oh this is so exciting!” Haechan clasps his hands together over his chest, letting out a long, happy sigh. “Mark can you believe that in a few years we will be knowing what our powers are and going on missions just like Jaehyun and Taeil?” 

Mark nods his head, hand landing on Haechan’s head, ruffling his hair slightly. “Go to the dining hall and see if Yuta is done with the tea. You should help him set the table too.” 

“But Mark, it is your turn to set the table! I set it last night for dinner and this morning for breakfast!” The younger one whines, shoulders dipping forward and lips pursing into an elaborate pout. 

“Haechan,” Jaehyun says firmly, “Do as your brother says. It will only take a few minutes.” 

“Fine,” the younger one says, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. “But tonight Mark is setting the table!” The younger one stomps off, arms still crossed over his chest and body bouncing with every step he takes up the hill to the castle. 

“So,” Mark says with a breath, head turning to look at Jaehyun. “Was it okay? I know we said we would discuss during tea but I know you do not like to say certain things around Haechan.” 

“I do not say certain things because he is young,” Jaehyun replies as he begins to walk up the hill, “You,” he says, finger pointing at Mark, “are nearly the same age as him.” 

“I am a year older! Jaehyun!” Mark whines, jogging after him to meet his steps. “Why do I not get to know? I hardly think that that is fair.” Before Jaehyun can respond, Mark begins speaking again. “I suppose it does not matter because I know that you will tell Taeil and I will just ask him.” 

“I will make sure he does not tell you anything,” Jaehyun says with a grin. “My brother knows better than to tell you two things.” 

Mark whines the whole walk to the dining hall, nearly mimicking the way Haechan was complaining earlier. He tries to get any kind of information out of him that he can, asking small questions like what they saw while they walked or what time they left this morning. Yet Jaehyun simply ignores the questions and it only makes Mark even more frustrated. 

The doors to the dining hall open and Jaehyun watches the way Yuta’s face lights up the moment he sees him. Taeil is off to the side, stirring his tea bag in his mug, his own face matching the size of Yuta’s smile when he notices Jaehyun. They both run over to him, arms wrapping around him in a tight hug.

☘

Jaehyun’s fingers press against the piano keys quickly yet with precision. There’s no sheet music in front of him and the light from the candles on the wall barely do enough to illuminate the piano. The fireplace across the room is keeping his room a proper temperature, attempting to combat the cold winter air. Jaehyun’s already washed up and in his pajamas, silk sleeves gently pressing against the edge of the piano as he plays.

There’s a knock on his door, one that has his fingers sliding off the keys, head turning to look towards the door that is now opening. Taeil’s head peeks in, smile on his lips as he walks in, shutting the door behind him. “You do not have to stop,” the other says quietly. “I was enjoying it.” 

Jaehyun licks at his lips, hands rubbing at his thighs. “Do you recognize it?” 

“Of course I do,” Taeil responds, sliding onto Jaehyun’s bed. “It is the song mother used to play for us when we were younger. The song she composed for us.” 

“It was the only thing that would calm me down when I was a baby,” Jaehyun says with a laugh. 

“You were the fussiest of babies,” Taeil adds, hand patting the spot next to him on the bed. “Even Haechan was calmer than you.” 

Jaehyun only smiles, sliding off of the bench and walking over to his bed, joining Taeil. He settles down, legs crossed and hand running through his hair as he meets Taeil’s eyes. “Can I tell you about it? The mission?” 

Taeil nods, finger reaching out and poking at Jaehyun’s cheek. “Why do you think I came? Both Haechan and Mark are fast asleep so they should not bother us. Besides,” Taeil grabs Jaehyun’s hands and squeezes them gently. “What kind of brother would I be if I did not ask about your very first mission?” 

“To be honest,” Jaehyun starts, hands sliding out of Taeil’s. “I am not very confident that it went well.” Jaehyun meets Taeil’s eyes, waiting for the other to give him a small nod before he continues. “Johnny did not tell me that we were going to deliver a letter to a _murderer_. Taeil, he attacked Johnny and I simply stood there! I-I froze up. Johnny could have been killed and it would have been my fault.” Jaehyun says with a sigh, hands rubbing at his face. “You know me, I never am like that during practice. But out there..” 

“Hey,” Taeil says calmly, hand rubbing at Jaehyun’s arm. “Jaehyun, It is okay,” Taeil laughs out. “I know it might not seem like it, but I promise that it is okay.” 

Jaehyun lets out a whine, sliding off the bed and running his hand through his hair several times before letting it fall down to his side. “What if I fail, Taeil? If I fail, I let down so many people. I would let down Mark and Haechan and Yuta. I would let down all the people in the castle, the whole kingdom even. I would,” Jaehyun pauses, feeling the tightness of a sob in his throat begin. He clears his throat, fingers brushing against the edge of the bed, eyes meeting with Taeil’s. “Let down you and mom.” 

“Jaehyun,” Taeil says softly, voice trailing off as the first sob rips through Jaehyun’s throat. 

“I do not want to fail. I do not want to let anyone down.” The words fall out of his mouth like vomit and he’s not even sure he says them properly. His eyes begin to close as he hears the creaking of the floorboards and Taeil’s arms around him. 

“Jaehyun,” the older one says again, voice just as soft as before. “You will not let anyone down, I promise you that.” Taeil pulls Jaehyun close, arms wrapping tightly around him. 

Jaehyun pulls away, only to have his face cupped by Taeil’s hands. Jaehyun bites his lip, holding back the sobs that are bubbling in his throat. His eyes blink several times, pushing away the tears that blur his vision. Taeil is staring at him with a smile, deep brown eyes watching Jaehyun as he attempts to swallow the sobs. 

“It was your first mission,” Taeil starts, “All first missions are scary, especially how young we are sent out. But I know that you did wonderful, even if there were a few hiccups. You both came back alive and that is all that matters.” Jaehyun only nods, leaning his face against Taeil’s palm. “You are Jaehyun,” he says, one hand reaching up to brush Jaehyun’s bangs to the side. “A son of some of the best archers in not only the kingdom but the _whole_ compass. You are my brother who is so incredibly talented, even more so than I am.” Jaehyun lets out a soft laugh, eyes rolling at the statement. “You will pass and you will go on many more missions before you are approved by the court and become a part of the royal forces. Just like-” 

“Like mother and father were,” Jaehyun finishes. Taeil nods, hand sliding off of Jaehyun’s cheek. “I want to be more than that,” Jaehyun says, “An archer first and foremost of course but I want to help others too. Taeil, the way those people at the border live, that is no way to live life. I want to help those people, help them become better and have more successful lives. I want to be able to help our kingdom become the best that it can be.” Jaehyun lets his lips curl into a gentle smile, fingers reaching up to wipe away the tears that are tucked at the corner of his eyes. 

“I believe that is a wonderful idea,” Taeil responds, “You can absolutely do that. If anyone can, It is you, _Jaehyun._ ” 

“I will work hard,” Jaehyun says firmly, fingers curling into a fist and he pushes it against his chest gently. “I will become the best archer I can be and _more._ ”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> { kind of a short chapter but next chapter will be pretty lengthy! }

The letter comes on a Thursday morning as rain taps against the large windows of the castle. 

Jaehyun is seated on the floor of the grand living room, right in the middle of his turn in a game of chess against Yuta. The sound of footsteps can be heard, ones that come from the guards, footsteps that make both Jaehyun and Yuta pause their busy hands and turn to look. Two guards are standing on either side of two much smaller looking boys. One of them makes Jaehyun’s heart skip a beat. Johnny is standing quietly, body looking large next to the other boy he’s with. 

Johnny is in his uniform, badge glimmering even in the dull light from the rainy outside. The boy next to him however, is in a different uniform. It’s a completely white one, lined with the brightest gold accents that he’s ever seen. On the same side as Johnny’s badge, is one that’s nearly two times as big and even from several feet away, Jaehyun can see the large ‘K’ that takes up almost the entire badge. 

“Jaehyun,” the guard says deeply. “Please join us in the meeting room.” 

Jaehyun bites at his lip, eyes meeting with Yuta’s, the other giving him a small nod and a nudge on his side. Quietly, Jaehyun pushes himself off the floor, bare feet tapping against the marble floor. He spares another look at Yuta, the younger one watching him with concerned eyes as Jaehyun turns around and begins walking with the others. 

It’s the first time he’s seen Johnny since the mission nearly two weeks ago. Since their mission, Jaehyun hasn’t gotten any other missions assigned to him, despite earning a ‘B’ from the court. It’s something that’s had his mind tangled with bad thoughts, only barely calmed down from his older brother’s words, informing him that there simply isn’t much to do lately. Yet Jaehyun is convinced that he’s done something wrong, something that’s keeping them from sending him out and completing his training. 

Though having Johnny here now, walking in front of him quietly, makes him hopeful that perhaps he’s going to be sent on another mission, specifically a mission with Johnny. Yet the mystery boy next to him has him thinking otherwise. The other boy is in a similar uniform to Johnny, the same style at least. Jaehyun hasn’t seen any uniforms from the other kingdoms but the large ‘K’ that is on the badge of the smaller one means that he must be from the North kingdom. 

The two boys whisper to each other quietly as they walk. Jaehyun tries to make out what they’re saying while staying a few steps back. No matter how hard he tries to focus on their voices, he can only make out the ends of sentences between the loud footsteps of the guards around them. Johnny and the other don’t seem nervous, they share laughs and smiles at each other and it doesn’t do much but it does relieve some of the flutters running through Jaehyun’s body. 

Jaehyun has only been in the meeting room a total of three times. All three times are fuzzy, being when he was young, barely old enough to even see over the large table that sits in the middle of the room. Seeing it for the first time in almost six years, there’s a sinking feeling in his chest, one that travels all the way to his feet, practically grounding him in the doorway. There’s something else that has his brows furrowing and his lips pushing down into a worried frown. Taeil is seated at the table. He’s seated alone, in the chair with a glimmering ‘T’ at the top. 

“What is going on?” Jaehyun asks, voice shaky as he looks up at the guards that are still in front of him. 

“Please have a seat,” is all the larger one says, motioning towards the table. 

Jaehyun swallows thickly, teeth sinking into his bottom lip and his throat begins to tighten while he walks to join Taeil. There’s a few things that run through Jaehyun’s mind as he sits down in the chair with a glimmering ‘J’ at the top. Many of the thoughts are vile, ones that make Jaehyun’s stomach churn with fear. It’s possible that something has happened to one of the younger ones. Something could be happening to the kingdom, perhaps a war even. Nothing positive is coming to Jaehyun’s mind as he sits next to his brother and Johnny and the other boy sit across from them. 

Silently, the unnamed boy places a letter on the table. It’s a pure shade of white and in the middle there’s a large wax seal that matches the one on the boy’s uniform. 

“The North’s seal,” Taeil says quietly, eyes flickering over to meet Jaehyun’s. 

“My name is Taeyong,” the small boy across from them says with a smile. “I am a royal messenger of the North. And this,” he pushes the letter towards the center of the table more, “Is a letter from Kun.” 

_Kun_. Jaehyun isn’t as versed in the other kingdoms as the others in the East but he knows who _Kun_ is. Kun is the sole survivor of the royal family from before the war. He is the only living person that was alive during the time where the kingdoms were one. He survived the war due to his parents who granted him immortality. Kun has created what the North, and the rest of the compass, has become. Kun has nearly single-handedly rebuilt their world and given it new life. He is the person that allows the compass to function in peace. 

Taeil is the one to grab the letter from the table, sliding it towards them. Careful hands flip the letter over to reveal possibly the most beautiful handwriting that Jaehyun has ever seen. It’s nothing much, simply their names, yet it radiates importance. Taeil tilts his head, brows furrowing as he looks at Jaehyun. Their gaze matches only for a moment before Taeil’s thumb gently opens the envelope, revealing a card inside. 

“Dear Taeil and Jaehyun of the East Kingdom,” Taeil starts, clearing his throat as he shifts in his seat. “I am writing to you to inform you that I am in search of a guardian for my son, Jungwoo. I will be visiting the East on the thirtieth of this month to choose one of you to be that guardian. More detail will be explained in person during my visit. Best regards, Kun of the North.” 

“A guardian?” Jaehyun whispers, hands bumping against Taeil’s as he grabs the card from him. “Why would Kun not use someone from the North?” 

“I also suggested that,” Taeyong adds with a sigh, almost disappointed at Kun’s decision. “He is persistent though and would like one of you to be Jungwoo’s guardian.” 

“Jungwoo is extremely important to Kun,” Johnny says, adding to the conversation for the first time. “He is his only child and his powers are-” Johnny’s words trail off only to be picked up by Taeyong. 

“Kun will explain,” is all he says before the room becomes quiet again. 

Soon, Taeil and Jaehyun are the only ones left in the meeting room. Both of them are small in the large chairs with their initials engraved on them. 

Jaehyun keeps himself busy. He gets up early in the morning and goes on a run through the gardens before breakfast. By the time he returns, face red and a sheen of sweat shining in the light, breakfast is on the table and the others are already seated, still in their pajamas. After he finishes eating, Jaehyun goes straight to the practice field, spending his time until his arms give out and the sun is at its peak. 

Taeil has developed a similar routine. It isn’t as clockwork and intense as Jaehyun’s but more often than not, Jaehyun sees Taeil out in the field, dozens of arrows in the targets scattered throughout. There are times when Jaehyun sees Taeil with heavy eyes and wobbly arms when he begins to go running. Times where he watches his brother through the window in his room, arrows shooting through the air at high speeds, landing in the targets with loud smacks each time. 

It’s been almost a week since Taeyong gave them the letter and neither Taeil nor Jaehyun have spoken to each other about it. They’ve barely spoken at all since they were told that one of them would become a guardian for Kun’s son. In the back of their minds, at least in Jaehyun’s, he knows that this will become a competition. Technically, it already has become one. Both of them are silently moving around each other in a dance, both trying to improve without letting the other one know. Training sessions together have become nonexistent. There’s no longer smiles and laughter while they practice with each other. Instead, it’s only the sound of their arrows and the nature around them. 

Mark is the first one to ask Jaehyun about the letter. The younger one knocks on Jaehyun’s door after the sun has set and before dinner is ready. Mark is still in his daytime clothes, flowy gold shirt wiggling due to the window open in Jaehyun’s bedroom. His brown hair flutters against his forehead when Jaehyun looks over at him. 

“What is going on?” He asks, brows furrowed together. Jaehyun parts his lips, ready to quickly dismiss the younger one’s question but Mark is faster and speaks first. “It is about a letter, right? Is that why you and Taeil are not talking? Haechan told me he overheard Taeil and Yuta talking about a letter.” 

Jaehyun bites at his lip, unsure of what to truly say. Mark is looking at him, eyes full of worry and lips parted with words lingering on his tongue. “Are you fighting?” The younger one asks quietly, almost afraid to ask the question. 

“We are not fighting, Mark,” Jaehyun exhales out with a sigh. “Nothing is happening between us so do not worry.” 

“Haechan said that the North’s leader is coming,” Mark says, fingers playing with the hem of his shirt. “Are we in trouble?” 

“You two should not be eavesdropping as much as you are,” Jaehyun grumbles out. “This matter only concerns Taeil and I.” 

“But I deserve to know!” Mark’s sudden outburst makes Jaehyun’s eyes widen. The younger one stomps his feet, arms crossing over his chest as his eyes cast downwards, avoiding Jaehyun’s. “If we are in danger, or if _you_ are in danger, I-” 

There’s a shakiness in Mark’s voice that has Jaehyun’s shoulders relaxing, annoyance beginning to fade away as he watches the younger one begin to sniffle. Jaehyun moves to his bed, sliding down onto it and patting the spot next to him, quietly beckoning Mark to come and join him. The younger one does slowly, shutting the door behind him as he walks over to join Jaehyun, chest rising and falling with quick breaths. 

Most of the time, Jaehyun is reminded how young Mark is through his actions. The pranks and jokes he plays with Haechan by his side on the older ones. The way they get excited about the simple things still. How he has no worries yet, no responsibilities, only to enjoy everyday to the fullest. Mark is still young, still too young for his powers to come. At only twelve, Mark has several years before his powers come to and he begins to serve the kingdom. 

Jaehyun has always been close with Mark. The younger one often looks up to him for advice or even just to spend time together, learning more about the kingdom. Mark spends much of his free time in the library, reading about history and trying to learn as much as he can. Jaehyun was the same when he was younger and Mark was often there with him, curled up into one of the large chairs by the window, watching the gardeners work outside while Jaehyun studied. Mark is the one that follows Jaehyun around when he goes on nightly walks, babbling about nothing in particular. Mark is the one that knocks on Jaehyun’s door at night because he’s lonely and can’t sleep. Mark is the boy with a thousand worries running through his mind at every hour of the day, much like Jaehyun was at his age. 

Right now, Jaehyun is reminded how young Mark is from the way his eyes are blinking every few seconds, trying to push away the tears that threaten to fall from his eyes as they sit quietly on their bed. At only twelve, Mark isn’t allowed to know many of the things that go on in the castle. It starts like that with all of them, none of the young ones are involved in any official news or business until their powers come and they get approved by the board. So Mark is left in the dark about many things. Most of them he doesn’t care about, business with other kingdoms that won’t affect him. But the letter that Mark is worried about affects him because it affects Jaehyun. 

“The kingdom is not in any danger,” Jaehyun says, hand reaching over to thread through Mark’s hair softly. “I am not in any danger, okay? Taeil and I are not fighting either,” he pauses, tongue darting out to lick at his lips, “We simply have different schedules as of right now.” 

Mark’s hand reaches up, rubbing at his eyes slowly before he lets out a long sigh. “Yuta says the flowers are acting weird. He also thinks that something bad is going to happen.” 

“It is the middle of February, Mark,” Jaehyun laughs out softly, “the flowers always act weird during this time of winter.”

Mark tilts his head up, eyes red and puffy from tears. “Do you promise that nothing bad will happen?” 

With a gentle smile, Jaehyun nods his head. “I promise. Everything will be okay.” 

Taeil has his bow in hand and there is an arrow shooting through the air when Jaehyun walks onto the field. Even in the soft glow of the early morning, he can see that Taeil’s eyes are full of sleepiness and exhaustion. Taeil isn’t even in the normal daytime clothes, opting for a simple pair of pants and a soft sweater that compliments his brown hair. His brother lifts up another arrow, sliding it onto his bow and shooting it without hesitation, unaware that Jaehyun is walking towards him. 

It’s the first time he’s been in the same area as Taeil since the letter arrived. They miss each other at all the meals, one of them being absent for it. Jaehyun isn’t exactly avoiding Taeil. Perhaps in a way he is, not wanting to face the reality that is fast approaching. Even though they haven’t talked, he’s almost positive that Taeil is thinking the same thing. 

Taeil and Jaehyun are more different than they are alike. Taeil is kinder, he’s able to show his emotions more, and he doesn’t take things as seriously. Taeil likes to joke around with the younger ones, constantly joining in on their activities. Taeil takes instruction and criticism well, whereas Jaehyun falters at the slightest thought of him not doing well. Part of Taeil’s charm comes with him being the oldest of their group in the kingdom. He’s had to be a role model for them all, someone to look up to for comfort and advice. Taeil is a favorite among the elders and royals because he’s someone they can trust, a person with a level head. Where as Jaehyun simply is not. 

They are more different than alike but there are times that they’re spitting images of each other. Jaehyun is reminded of that right now as he watches Taeil look over at him, bow lowered and lips pressed tightly together. He watches his older brother suck in a breath, shoulders rising with the inhale and falling with the exhale. Then, Taeil lays his bow against the bench to the side, one hand running smoothly through his hair. 

“How is it going, Jaehyun?” 

The cold air of the winter morning makes Jaehyun’s body tense up, sucking in a breath through his teeth as the wind hits his body. “Fine,” he answers quietly, arms wrapping around himself as he meets Taeil’s eyes. “How about you?” 

“I believe it is going well,” Taeil laughs, teeth sinking into his bottom lip only for a moment before his lips part again. “All I have been doing is practicing but I am not entirely sure what I am practicing _for_.” 

“To be Kun’s son’s guardian,” Jaehyun answers. 

“Yes,” Taeil sighs, body slumping down onto the bench, “but what exactly does that _mean_? Are we going to have to fight daily? Is there some sort of unknown danger that is plaguing the North that we are unaware of? Why does Jungwoo need a guardian in the first place? Jaehyun,” Taeil sucks in a breath slowly, letting it out with his words, “to be honest I am not sure what to expect and my mind only goes to the worst of things, you know that.”

“I also worry,” Jaehyun adds, fingers letting go of his bow, allowing it to rest next to Taeil’s as he settles down next to him on the bench. “I do not have much experience and,” Jaehyun pauses, head leaning back and eyes squinting at the sky. “I barely am qualified to even go on missions by myself let alone be a guardian for someone.” 

“I wonder that as well,” Taeil says quietly, voice being overpowered by the wind. Taeil tilts his head and Jaehyun sees his gaze out of the corners of his eyes. “The last few days I have been wondering; why us? There are thousands of other people, older, more qualified people that Kun could use as guardians. Yet he chooses to come to the East and pick between _us._ ”

Jaehyun lets his head fall against the back of the bench, body sliding down slightly against the surface. Taeil’s words are the same ones that he’s had running through his head. Kun’s choice simply doesn’t seem right. Taeil and Jaehyun are barely versed in their archery, Taeil more than Jaehyun but nowhere near where their parents were. Jaehyun has barely even touched the surface of his powers and Taeil just started in the last few months. 

Jaehyun closes his eyes slowly, mind wandering, trying to sort through the thoughts in his head. He remembers what Mark said to him and it makes his eyes open, head tilting to look at his brother. “Mark says that the flowers are acting funny.”

Taeil lets out a laugh, head shaking as his fingers pick at the top of his bow. “It is the middle of winter, of course they are acting funny.” 

There’s a warmth of comfort that washes over Jaehyun, one that pulls his lips up slightly. “I said the same thing to him.” 

Taeil smiles, head tilting down as he plucks the string of his bow. “I do not know what Kun’s intentions are but there is one thing for certain.” 

“What is that?” Jaehyun asks when Taeil doesn’t continue right away. 

Taeil presses his lips together, swallowing thickly before he tilts his head and meets Jaehyun’s eyes. “If he chooses one of us, it is possible that we might not ever see each other again.” 

The words make Jaehyun’s heart drop to the ground. It makes his chest tighten and his throat begin to hurt. His eyes start to swell with tears at the mere thought of being away from his brother, being away from Mark, Yuta, and Haechan, being away from their kingdom. Jaehyun bites at his lip, trying to hide what he’s feeling because the last thing he wants to do is seem weak, especially in front of his brother. 

There’s many things that Jaehyun doesn’t want to admit to not only others but himself as well. He hates to admit that he doesn’t like the smell of roses. He isn’t particularly fond of the oolong tea the maids make in the afternoon. He hates the way Haechan drags Mark into all of his mischievous tasks and never takes the blame for any of it. He doesn’t like the way the elders favor Taeil over Jaehyun even though Taeil is older and has more missions under his belt. Jaehyun doesn’t want to admit that he’s jealous of his brother. Taeil’s skills are nothing to brag about. He misses more than he makes when it comes to practice. Taeil lets himself get distracted by others, choosing to spend time with them rather than on the field like Jaehyun does. Taeil isn’t the best but he’s kind and warm and someone people like to be around. Jaehyun hates how different they are in that aspect, hates how Taeil is the _favorite_. 

But at the end of the day, they’re _brothers_. Taeil has always been there for Jaehyun, in every situation. He was there when Jaehyun broke his arm outside when he was seven. He was there when Jaehyun lost his first tooth and helped him wipe the blood from his shirt. Taeil was the one to gift Jaehyun with the piano in his room, having brought up the idea to their parents. Taeil was the one to wrap his arms around Jaehyun when the news of their parents death hit them in the early morning before the sun rose. As jealous as he is of his brother, he’s the only thing he has left of their family. It’s just the two of them left and without Taeil, Jaehyun isn’t sure what he’ll do. 

There will be no one there to ground him when he lets his emotions overcome him. No one there to join him at the practice field anymore. No one to come wake him up if he oversleeps. Taeil is the one to put Jaehyun into a laughing fit with his jokes. Taeil is the one to check up on Jaehyun late at night when he knows that his thoughts are getting the best of him. Jaehyun has already had his parents taken away from him, having Taeil taken away from him too is something that has Jaehyun’s throat tightening. 

“Jaehyun,” Taeil says, hand landing on his shoulder. 

“I do not want to think about it,” the younger one croaks out, shakily inhaling a breath. 

Slowly, Taeil wraps his arms around Jaehyun, pulling him into a tight hug. Jaehyun curls against Taeil’s body, burying his face against his chest, trying to hide all signs that his eyes are beginning to overflow with tears. Taeil’s hand runs up and down Jaehyun’s back, soothing him the best way he can, the way that he knows Jaehyun likes it. And Jaehyun lets himself crumble in his arms, chest heaving with shaky cries and quiet pleads. Taeil responds with soft whispers that everything will be okay. 

Taeil is the one to pull away first when Jaehyun’s sniffles quiet down. Hands cup at Jaehyun’s cheeks, thumbs brushing away the tears that are freshly sliding down his flushed face. There’s no worry on Taeil’s face, not that Jaehyun can see at least, instead there’s a warm smile, one that makes Jaehyun relax slightly. 

“No matter what happens tomorrow,” Taeil starts, thumb quickly swiping away a fresh tear, “We are brothers. Nothing will change that, Jaehyun.” Jaehyun leans into Taeil’s touch, eyes closing as he nods slowly. “Even if we are seperated, I’ll still protect you the best I can from where I am, whether it be here at home or in the North.” 

“Do you promise?” Jaehyun asks softly, clearing his throat, eyes meeting with his brother’s. 

Taeil’s lips curl into a smile, leaning forward to press a kiss to the top of Jaehyun’s head. “I promise, Jaehyun. We are the only family we have left. We have to protect each other.” Taeil pushes Jaehyun’s bangs back, letting them flutter back into place before he pulls away completely. “Would you like to get some practice in before breakfast? It has been awhile since we got to practice together.” 

“I would love that,” Jaehyun answers, fingers rubbing at his eyes slowly. “I want to show you how much I have improved,” he laughs out softly. 

“There is the Jaehyun I know,” Taeil smiles, hand patting at Jaehyun’s cheek. “Come on then,” he says, standing up from the bench and holding his hand out for Jaehyun to grab. “Today is our last day before Kun arrives, we should both get as much practice in as possible.” 

Jaehyun grabs his bow, lips curling into a grin as he meets Taeil’s eyes. “Let us see who can get ten in a row first?” 

Taeil doesn’t waste a second before he has his hand digging in his bow container and he’s already shooting an arrow towards his target. He looks over at Jaehyun, eyebrow raising and a laugh pushing past his lips. “Come on! You are going to lose if you keep standing there doing nothing!” 

“That is not fair, Taeil! You started before me! You did not even say go!” 

Laughter fills the air between them and for a moment, Jaehyun forgets that tomorrow Kun will arrive and make a decision that will change Jaehyun’s life forever. 

The guards begin to arrive at ten. 

The sound of heavy footsteps can be heard from the hallway. Jaehyun has his back against the chair, eyes closing for prolonged seconds, trying to rid away the nervousness that’s making his thighs shake, knees bumping together. Taeil, who is seated next to him, isn’t doing much better. His fingers tap against the table, nails clinking against the wood. His knee is bouncing up and down, foot moving quickly against the floor. 

They are seated in their chairs in the meeting room, much like they were on the day Taeyong presented them with the letter. Now instead of casual clothes, both of them are dressed in their formal gear. Jaehyun has a silk golden shirt on with a pair of black pants that hug his calves, showing off the straps to his sandals. Taeil is in a matching shirt, a deep black one that has lines of gold running through, accenting the golden pair of pants that are the same style as Jaehyun’s. Both of them have their guards on, small patching covering their heart, crests of the East planted right in the middle. 

Taeil is the first to stand up when the guards push open the door. The sound of the chair scraping against the floor is only heard for a moment before it’s drowned out by the mixture of voices and boots tapping against the floor. The two guards that opened the door stay in front of the heavy metal doors, arms at their sides and faces stoic as the others begin to file in. Taeil’s hand wraps around Jaehyun’s tugging him up quickly the moment the guards begin to walk towards the table. 

Two guards in front move to the side to reveal another set of guards. Behind that pair is a familiar face, Taeyong is looking at them, lips curled into a smile and a hand waving at them. Taeyong is motioned to the side to reveal yet another pair of guards, the two of them moving to join the four that are now lining the room. A final pair take their spot in front of the table, pulling out a chair for Taeyong to sit at. Then Jaehyun feels his breath hitch at the sight of Kun. 

Kun is dressed in pure white, much like Taeyong is. There’s the now familiar crest of the North, a large ‘K’ shining in the middle of it. His hair is pushed up, bangs slicked to the side, blond hair complimenting the pure white of his outfit. Plump lips are pressed tightly together, brows scrunched up slightly as he stands in front of the table. 

There’s a sense of importance that radiates off of Kun, one that has Jaehyun’s fingers curling against his side in nervousness. Jaehyun hasn’t met anyone outside of his own kingdom, no other royals besides the ones living in the castle and even then, they aren’t nearly as powerful as Kun. _No one_ is as powerful as Kun. Taeil once again has to push on Jaehyun’s back, forcing him down into a bow because he’s too focused on the power that Kun is radiating. 

“Please sit,” Kun says softly, lips curled up into a smile when Jaehyun meets his gaze. 

Jaehyun is the first to sit, body settling stiffly in his chair. Taeil is the same, chest rising and falling deeply with every long inhale and extended exhale, body nearly off the edge of his seat. Jaehyun sucks in a breath, trying to keep himself calm as Kun begins to speak again. 

“As you already are aware,” Kun says with a laugh, “My name is Kun, I am the ruler of the North kingdom. I am here to choose one of you to be my son’s guardian.” 

Taeil is the one to look over at Jaehyun first. His lips are pressed together, one hand coming to land on Jaehyun’s thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze, head tilting down in a barely visible nod. Taeil doesn’t say anything, only meets Jaehyun’s gaze until he turns his attention back to Kun as he begins speaking again. 

“I am sure that you have many questions,” Kun smiles, body leaning back in the chair he’s seated in. “Many of them which will be answered after I choose one of you, but I will tell you this,” he pauses, meeting both Jaehyun and Taeil’s eyes. “My decision will be based on who I believe will be able to keep my son safe.” 

“Kun,” Taeil begins, body shifting in his chair, “With all due respect, why did you choose to come to the East? I am sure you have more capable people to serve as a guardian than the two of us. I am only eighteen and Jaehyun has just turned sixteen. Neither of us have come anywhere close to mastering our powers.” 

“I had assumed you would be wondering this,” Kun hums, body shifting and torso leaning over the table slightly, hands meeting on top of it. “I can assure you that my decision is what I feel is best for my son.” 

Jaehyun licks his lips, eyes meeting with Kun’s as he struggles to push the words out of his mouth. “How exactly are you going to determine this?” 

Jaehyun’s brows scrunch together as Kun’s lips begin to form a grin. “A display of your powers in the form of a battle.” Kun pauses, only to hold his hand up and click at his tongue, “Now I know what you two are thinking,” he says lightly, “It is not a battle to the death or anything of the sorts. A friendly battle until one of you lands a hit. I would assume the two of you will not aim for any vital parts.” 

Jaehyun swallows thickly, a swallow so dense that he can barely push it down his throat. His eyes look over at Taeil, watching the way Taeil’s shoulders begin to tense up, his eyes are focused on Kun, slightly squinted and brows twitching together gently. He sucks in a breath slowly, foot tapping against the floor as quietly as he can, the words of _battle_ running through his head. 

“The two of you have packed, yes?” Kun asks, body shifting back against his chair. “The person I choose will be coming with me immediately to the North.” 

“We have,” Taeil answers for them. 

Jaehyun bites down on his lip, his fingers twitching against his pants, bumping and tugging at one another. He remembers how he packed his whole life into a single bag this morning as the sun rose over the horizon. Jaehyun had lit his favorite candle, the smell of sand and birch wood filling his room, potentially the last time he’ll ever smell it. He’s shoved his favorite shirts and pants into his bag, making sure to fold them nicely so they don’t get terribly wrinkled. He collected his hair pins and the selection of hats that he wears on outings, neatly tucking them with his clothes. Jaehyun’s taken the pictures off his nightstand, ones of him and Taeil, ones of him and Mark and Haechan and Yuta, and the one of him and Taeil with their parents, gently sliding them into the outside pocket of his bag before zipping it up. Then he hooked it over his shoulder and walked into the meeting room, seeing Taeil with his own bag on his shoulder. 

“Then I suppose we are ready,” Kun says happily, lips curling into a smile. “No use in wasting time, I would like whoever I choose to join us for dinner tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> { [twt](https://twitter.com/buttercupwoo) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/wooberry) }

**Author's Note:**

> { here's some important info for you guys about this prequel! 
> 
> ☘ Jaehyun is 15, Taeil is 18, Haechan is 11, Mark is 12, Johnny is 16  
> ☘ This is seven years before Dearly Beloved begins and the year is 806AW (DB begins in 813AW)  
> ☘ You can read more about the characters [here!](https://tempusfinis.carrd.co/) everything is according to the ending of Dearly Beloved! 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for supporting not only DB but hopefully this as well ! :D }


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